The Quad City Youth Prelude Strings will give their first public performance in Augustana College's Centennial Hall on Sunday, February 22, at 3 p.m. as part of the Quad City Youth String Ensemble's 19th-annual concert. The performance will feature music by Mussorgsky, Mozart, Holst, and Caponegro, among others. Tickets will be available at the door: $5 for adults and $3 for seniors, with students free. For more information about the Quad City Symphony Orchestra youth ensembles, visit QCSymphony.com or call (563)322-0931.
Aryn Kyle, an award-winning writer for her first novel, The God of Animals, will read from her fiction on Thursday, March 26, in the fourth of this year's "River Readings at Augustana." The reading is free and open to the public and takes place in Wallenberg Hall, inside Denkmann Memorial Hall (3520 Seventh Avenue) at 7 p.m. Kyle will also participate in a discussion of her book and read from it at the Bettendorf Public Library on Wednesday, March 25, at 4 p.m.
Allen Schares, content manager for Iowa Public Radio's contemporary music stream Studio One, has been named music director for Iowa Public Radio. In this new role, Schares will lead the efforts of Iowa Public Radio's two music services, Iowa Public Radio Classical and Studio One. Schares' appointment became effective February 10.
The Scott County Family Y Palmer Learning Center has earned a level-four rating from the Iowa Department of Human Services - one of the highest quality-assurance ratings the state offers. The Iowa Quality Rating System for Child Care Providers is a voluntary program that rates child-care providers on indicators such as professional development; health and safety; environment; family and community partnerships; and leadership and administration. The Scott County Family Y Palmer Learning Center is one of only seven licensed child care centers in Scott County to receive this rating. For more information about the programs and services offered through the Scott County Family Y Child Care & Family Services, call (563)323-4668 or visit ScottCountyFamilyY.org.
The City of Rock Island hosted its 13th-annual Industrial Pretreatment Awards Program on February 18. Mayor Mark Schwiebert presented certificates of achievement to representatives of eight Rock Island industries: McLaughlin Body Company, Miller Container Corporation, Honeywell/Norcross Safety Products, Wear Cote International, Berge Plating Works, Illinois Oil Products, Johnson Oil Company, and the Rock Island Arsenal. Those organizations were recognized for maintaining compliance with the federally mandated Industrial Pretreatment Program during 2008. Pretreatment of industrial wastewater helps protect the sewer system, helps ensure worker safety, encourages industrial-pollution prevention programs, helps maintain the beneficial use of sewage sludge, and helps ensure wastewater-plant operations meet discharge standards.
A Rock Island Township candidate forum will be held Saturday, February 21, at 2 p.m. at Community Caring Conference, inside Church of Peace at 12th Street and 12th Avenue in Rock Island.
Because of generous supporters, Travis Hearn will forever be remembered through a permanent fund established at the Community Foundation of the Great River Bend. Gifts to the Travis Hearn Benefit Fund are being accepted and can be sent to 852 Middle Rd. Ste. 100, Bettendorf IA 52722. For more information, call (563)326-2840 or visit CFGRB.org.
Jeff Hancks from Western Illinois University will present "The WPA & Civilian Conservation Corps in the Quad Cities" on Saturday, February 28, at 2:30 p.m. at the Moline Public Library. This free program will meet in the Silver Meeting Room and is open to all ages. To register for this discussion, call (309)762-6883.
